“Are you children riding in with me?” Mr. Langwell asked. “The time is getting short.”
“I am, Dad, thanks. If you will take me as far as the subway in Jamaica, I’ll land just in time for class,” Harvey answered.
“Phil will be here to pick me up, thank you,” Roberta replied, so, as the meal was finished, and the last pancake had disappeared, they left the table to start on the day’s occupations. Harvey raced up the stairs, three at a jump, while his sister gave her mother a hand straightening the dining room as she waited for Phil Fisher to take her to the flying field.
“I hear the motor, my dear,” Mrs. Langwell interrupted. “You’d better hurry.”
“He’s early this morning, but probably he has something to do before schedule.” The girl hastened with her own preparations so that when the young man appeared at the door she was properly helmeted and all ready to take the air.
“Top of the morning to you,” Phil called cheerily. “Your esteemed passenger wants to make an early start, so the boys will have Nike warmed up for you and you can start as soon as you get to the field.”
“It’s mighty good of you to come and fetch me,” Roberta smiled at the president’s son, who had not so many weeks before gone through a series of exciting, dangerous air-adventures with her. But those things were all in the day’s work and belonged to the past; the new day awaited them.
“It isn’t much of a hop, and as Mrs. Pollzoff has all the earmarks of being a good customer, she must be humored,” Phil grinned. “Just the same, I’m glad they wished her on you and Nike instead of the Moth and yours truly.”
“Well, it’s no particular fun piloting her. I wish she’d decide she wants variety, and give you all a chance at the job,” Roberta told him. They were making their way to where the Moth, Phil’s own imported machine, waited to leap in the air with them. “I say, when is Mr. Howe going to start that investigation he spoke of a few weeks ago. Heard anything about it?”
“You are not so fed up on Mrs. Pollzoff that you want to get away from us all, are you?” he demanded.